Exceeding Power
by Scorpina
Summary: How did Kane become so powerful? Why has he bested the Undertaker, and what does the Deadman know, but refuses to tell another soul... until it's too late.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – The signs.

The Undertaker had known for some time the day would come, he just didn't think it would have happened as soon as it did. Yet, nonetheless it wasn't shocking to him when Kane finally struck him down and left him in a state of rest, what troubled the Undertaker the fact that Kane had exceeded him so quickly. He wasn't able to come to terms with it at first. However accepted the fact that his younger brother was sick and tired of his shadow.

"You have no idea what you've done little brother" Taker muttered to himself one night. "You have opened the gates of hell, and not even I can help you through them"

Taker's comments didn't go unnoticed when he heard someone enter the locker room. His guard went up as Taker turned and nearly came to blows with Matt Hardy.

Hardy's hands went up in an instant as he explained he wasn't there to cause trouble. Slowly, the Undertaker backed down until he came to rest on a near by bench. "What's happened to you?" Matt asked. It would bring one onto thin ice with the Undertaker should they question his state of mind or lack there of. However the Undertaker looked up at Matt.

"You tell me, you got a little brother of your own"

Matt sat down next to the Deadman, a moment he never would have expected, Matt Hardy had a common interest with the Undertaker. "I have never seen Kane like this, not even when he and I came to blows. He's changed ever since he won the title. But the question remains is why now of all times?"

Taker knew what Matt meant, why strike out of all the other time he could have. But he knew, he knew too damn well. "Kane wasn't out to prove anything to anyone but me. Anyone could come out and strike me after a match or a feud I laid to rest, but he figured it would prove to not only himself, but others that he could take me down without someone else doing the dirty work for him"

Matt nodded his head. "Out to prove his worth. But how is he doing everything that you normally do?"

Taker fell silent to the question. He knew, but Hardy wasn't ready to learn the truth. Not to mention, who is to say Matt wouldn't be tempted by the darkside? He had been before, yet his life in the shadows didn't last long. "Another time Hardy Boy, but for now. I have to make plans for Kane. He has no idea what he has stepped into, and I don't even think I can get him out of it, even if he wants my help down the road"

"What do you mean by that? What exactly has Kane done to best you at your own game?"

Taker turned to Matt. His eyes locked onto the Hardy Boy as he said very slowly. "Kane has become me. A deadman walking"


	2. Chapter 2 Raising Kane

Chapter 2- Raising Kane

Not even he knew what happened on the night of the attack, something inside of Kane finally snapped and made him lash out at the Undertaker. The two hadn't seen nor spoke much to each other, the two did have an odd team up when it came to punishing superstars. But even then, Kane felt resentment. No one feared him unless his name was attached to the Undertaker, like a shadow he was nothing more than an undertone compared to the Deadman himself. Yet it all changed on the night he struck.

The memory was a blur, but all he could recall was the Undertaker, laying on the floor in a comatose state. But he knew his brother all too well, he could have been playing possum. So Kane waited. Armed with a folded chair at his side, just to be certain. Kane sat as long as the Undertaker lay on the floor, motionless. Nearly four hours would pass and still, not a single twitch from the deadman, no attempt to sit up or anything. The moment left him rather breathless, yet it was quick to end when the room fell into darkness.

Kane rose from his chair and held his weapon in hand. He called for the Undertaker to attack him one more time, "Come on Deadman, you knew this was coming eventually! Stop hiding in the shadows and face me!" Kane screamed.

Just then, a small beacon of light bathed Kane, he looked about and saw the druids who circled him and that of the Undertaker. They said nothing as their attention turned from their fallen leader to Kane. "He has been defeated, in such a manner, that it must be recognized" one said aloud.

Kane glared at each and every one of them, he kept the chair close and demanded to know what they wanted. "You seek revenge for what I have done to your 'leader' then so be it. I will take each and every one of you down myself!"

He looked and tried to see a face under the cowls, yet none was to be found. Kane felt like a caged animal as he waited for one of them to flinch or attempt to strike against him. None made such a motion. Instead, the one that spoke stepped forward, and went onto one knee. "You have bested the Lord of Darkness, which means one thing. You have succeeded him"

The words forced a pause in the Big Red Monster, did the Druid just announced he succeeded the Undertaker? "What makes you think I have done such a thing? Look at him! He has done this many times before, what makes this any different?" Kane demanded.

The druid laughed. "Such intensity in your eyes, the power in your voice says everything. You yarned for the power, you craved to break free from your brother's path and power to find your own. You have found it by bringing his downfall. He found his path the day he set fire to your home…"

Kane felt the air knocked from him, as the other druids kneeled before him. "We are yours to command now, what do you wish of us?"

A crooked smile came over him, Kane laughed aloud as he ordered the Druids to rise. "We must make this look like another is behind it, after, I want to learn everything you taught my brother… it was you who taught him everything, was it not?"

The druids nodded. "It was, and we shall obey"


	3. Chapter 3 the months passed

Chapter 3- the months passed

As the Undertaker continued to lay in dormancy, Kane had begun to prefect his newly acquired powers and lay waste to the locker room as he 'searched' for his brother's attacker.

He could slip in and out of the darkness the same way his brother had done before him, he was able to use the shadows to his advantage and learned every trick the Undertaker had used on him in the past. All the while he was carefully watched under the eyes of the druids who witnessed his progression. Yet every day, away from the ring, Kane would visit his brother to see what had become of him. The Undertaker hadn't moved a inch, yet one day startled Kane. It was just after he was announced to be in the Money in the Bank contest. He went to see the Undertaker. Kept out of sight of anyone, in an abandoned building once favored by the Deadman. Kane cautiously peered into the coffin that held his brother, for a moment, it seemed like nothing happened.

Until his eyes shot open.

Kane stumbled back in fear, worried his brother was going to strike. Yet, no movement came. Carefully, Kane approached the coffin sides and stared in. Taker's eyes were open, and yet he couldn't move still. "This is strange, even for the likes of you" he muttered lowly to his silent brother. "You open your eyes and yet you can't even look me in the face!"

Kane felt the Undertaker still taunted him to the notion that he believed he was the better man. But there were more important things on his mind, Kane turned and nearly collided with the druids who stood in wait. "He sees all, but cannot react to the new world forming before him. Your brother had his time. Your reign is about to begin!"

An unsettling feeling came over Kane, one that not even he was familiar with. "There's something about his eyes though," he said aloud. "Like he is trying to tell me something"

"Pay no mind to the past, and look to your future now. There is gold to be had and it must rest on the shoulders of a powerful man. We have seen you target one named Rey Mysterio once before. He is just as good of any creature to go after again."

"Again? Why again? I had my fill of him, what more can be done?" Kane growled lowly.

The Druids gathered closer. "You don't understand, it was he who took the gold off the shoulders of your brother…"

"No, that was Chris Jericho" Kane corrected.

"Does it matter who did? The fact remains, it wasn't you who bested your brother at his peek. Those men had taken the chance before you. They stole your power! Rey Mysterio is a serious threat to your growing strength. Crush him. But do so at his prime!"

Kane felt nearly bewitched by the words, to crush Mysterio in his prime. "I must win my match, at all costs!"

"Yes, everything occurs for you. Your moment of glory shall come to you in full, we have much to prepare you for." Kane felt the Druid's arm come onto his shoulder as he was led out of the room.

None bothered to turn and see the Undertaker, trying desperately to move once more under his own power…


	4. Chapter 4 The months after

Chapter 4- The months after.

The Undertaker hadn't been the same since he woke from the coma, no matter how hard he fought or tried to speak, he couldn't. It wasn't enough to get Kane's attention. Despite the attack, the Undertaker knew he had to save his brother from the fate that awaited him. One he wouldn't even wish upon his own worst enemy. But he needed help.

It was the start of an unusual week.

The Deadman summoned the likes of Matt Hardy, Bret Hart and Edge to a locker room to speak. None of the men knew why, but they knew better than to refuse.

"This better be good, you do realize I am in for a title shot!" Edge growled lowly. Yet when his eyes locked onto the Undertaker's, his lips were quick to seal.

"I need advice from others who know how to deal with younger brothers," the Deadman explained.

At first, none knew what to say. Not even the Hitman who looked between Matt Hardy and the Undertaker. "Wait, you need brother advice? Stick him in a headlock! Come on Take, you have had worst beatings in your life! So Kane one-ups you, big deal. Suck it up!"

"You don't understand Bret, Kane… He…" the pause became more annoying than anything.

"Spit it out!" hissed Edge.

"He's fallen into the same darkness as I did. But he has no idea what awaits him! I have to stop my brother before it's too late!"

"Whoa, slow down. What's going on with Kane that's so important? You told me before he was a Deadman walking, but then again, you tell that to everyone who pisses you off." Said Matt.

The Undertaker took slow, deep breaths and explained about his power over darkness. It just happened when he was a young child, after the house was set ablaze. But what happened shortly after was nothing more than the work of the shadows and darkest desires. "I never found the Druids, they found me," he explained. It made everyone's face turn pale white as he continued on. Assuming he was alone in the world, he embraced the lessons taught to him full heartedly. Until he mastered the element as his own. "What I didn't realize was why they gave me such power, why I was to learn of it. Until the final test came in Death Valley…"

He paused as the three men stared at him intensely. "Well, what happened in Death Valley?" Edge demanded.

Yet he shook his head. "I am not ready to tell you, not yet at least. But know this, if the same thing is happening to my brother, I fear for his very life and soul if I cannot stop him"

"Is that why he has been able to get the jump on you? He's learned your moves?" Matt asked.

"Partly" Taker whispered. "But there is much more to this than even he realizes, there is a reason why the Druids are helping him and giving him everything he wants. Just as the million dollar man says. Everyone has a price"

Bret began to maul things over, as he knew this was more serious than expected. "What do you want us to do?" he asked.

Taker shrugged. "Tell me how to deal with little brothers who want to prove themselves to their older brother"

Matt gave a half smirk. "Good thing your sitting down, this could take a long time…"


	5. Chapter 5 The darkness

Chapter 5- The darkness

Kane found himself unable to get a moment's peace. The Druids had been breathing down his neck and filling his mind with their voices, telling him to strike the Undertaker down yet to bide his time. "ENOUGH!" Kane screamed one day as they all spoke at once to him. "You are here to serve me, are you not?" he demanded of them.

At first, none of them said anything. Until one nodded. "But of course, we told you we are here to serve you"

"Then shut up!" he snapped back. "I wish to be left alone"

At first, none of them moved or dared to head towards the door. "But, master. You must understand. You face your brother soon. You have yet to master everything he has learned."

"I don't need to, the fact remains that I am in his head now. The mind games are mine to control, now leave me!" he growled.

The druids left without another word, they closed the door behind them as Kane said in the darkness alone. He began to have second thoughts. As much as he wanted to defeat his own brother, did he have to stoop to the same level he was at? Kane stared at his heavyweight title and began to see his own reflection in the sparkling gold. For a moment, he swore he saw the same look in his brother's eyes staring back at him. The look he had seen before.

Back when they were children, a day before the fire. Kane was just a young, normal child. He would pull jokes on his older brother for the pure hell of it, and knew how to get him hot under the collar. Until one day, he saw the innocence lost in the eyes of the Undertaker. A dark void filled the boyish twinkle in his eyes as Kane soon found himself repelled by his brother. He would try and talk to him or pull a harmless joke like a rubber snake in the bed, but all his brother said was. "I no longer enjoy these childish games!"

He sealed himself in his room for the night, and wasn't seen again until the next morning.

The day of the fire was forever burned into Kane's mind. He saw the look in the Undertaker's eyes too, as the fire began to engulf the house and Kane was still trapped inside, he saw the same look. Fear.

The Undertaker had fear in his eyes when they opened in his comatose state. They were full of fear, but it wasn't for what Kane had done, and he knew it. "Why was he so afraid? He is never fearful, and he never feared me before" Kane whispered.

The more he stared into the title, the more Kane felt something deep inside of him begin to burn. Like it wasn't right. "There must be more happening than what those Druids speak of, why else would they teach me everything my brother knows?" he muttered.

#

Outside.

"He is catching on master, what do we do?"

"Simple, we remain with the plan, and remove all doubts in his mind that we are there to serve him."

"If we fail?"

"There is no failure, we must reclaim the power for ourselves."


	6. Chapter 6 The choice at hand

Chapter 6- The choice at hand.

It didn't take long for the Undertaker to find people to confide in. He was a man of few words, bit even when he spoke, those word were certainly heard. He had gathered only a few who he trusted. Bret Hart, the Hart Dynasty and Matt Hardy. They locked up the locker room as the Undertaker gave them his ideas as to how to deal with Kane. "I know I have to take him down at his highest, it's the only way to break him!" announced the Deadman.

The men began to nod but Natalya looked to them with a rather perplexed look. "Uh, isn't this what started it all in the first place?" she asked. Every pair of eyes went on her. "No wonder I came in, you guys are going about it all wrong!" She took hold of the room and explained that they all knew Kane was out to prove himself, knocking him down a few pegs wasn't the way to go. "You need to see things through his perspective. Kane was out to show the world that he could be as good as the Undertaker. If you go in and try and take that away from him, he is going to strike back harder than ever before. It's what younger siblings do"

At first, no one said anything, but Bret began to nod his head. "She has a point. It's much like the time Owen and I had that feud, he was out to prove he was just as good as me"

"But you didn't have more riding on this than me Bret" Taker snapped back. "My brother has put himself in mortal danger, he hasn't the foggiest idea as to what's going on with the Druids!"

"Then help him understand" Natalya growled back. "You are looking at this like it small hole needs to be dug with a bulldozer. Completely unnecessary"

"But, it is Kane" said Tyson.

"All the more reason to watch your step" said Davey.

"Alright Princess, what do you have in mind?" Taker asked.

Natalya smiled. "The hardest thing you would ever have to do, lose to Kane. But make it good"

The room fell silent as they stared down at the lone woman in the room. "Lose? How is that going to help?" asked Taker.

"Simple, you give him the fight of his career, make it feel like Wrestlemania, but let him win, to show him you were in it for a good match."

"If I let him win, then it goes to his head!"

"If you don't let him win, then his attacks will get worst and you won't be the only one in the locker room who suffers for it" Natalya knew what she was doing, for she had watched Smackdown quite a bit as of late. She could see the look in Kane's face and knew he was out to prove his worth to not just the Undertaker, but to the world. "Kane wants the world to know he is just as good as you. Perhaps that is why he turned to the Druids in the first place."

"But he didn't, they turned to him!" Taker announced suddenly.

The room fell silent as Bret stared at the Deadman. "What aren't you telling us about this? There has to be more and for once, I want the full truth out of you. No half stories!"

Taker looked to the five faces in the room, Matt Hardy himself looked rather worried. "We know something is going down between you and Kane, we can't help unless we hear the full story and why you're so worried about him. It's not because he has beaten you, it's something else." Matt explained.

"You better sit down then, for you're about to learn how I came to be one of the darkness… at least, I use to be…"


	7. Chapter 7 The explanation

Chapter 7- The explanation.

The Undertaker sat down with everyone those in the locker room. He took a deep breath and explained what happened after the fire. For years, he went into seclusion, the Druids had come to him day after day offering him to teach all they knew and how to use the power within. It was them who told him no one survived the fire, and he was the last of his family to carry on the legacy of his family, his divine bloodline as they would explained. "I didn't know what I got into, but all I knew was the power was mine to take hold of and to possess." He said and paused.

"Shortly after I mastered the power, before I came to the WWE, the Driuds had one final test for me, one that I had used time and time again to this very day in coffin matches, but more importantly, the buried alive matches. How to survived when a ton of earth is sitting on top of you. It was the final challenge given to me by the Druids who said 'if you survive, the power is yours to command and we will follow you. Should you not…' but they never did tell me what would happen if I failed"

The faces in the room began to go pale as the Undertaker revealed the hidden meaning behind the ritual he was forced into. "It was never part of the training, I learned from the very druids who follow Kane around that I wasn't mean to be some sort of great leader. No, I was there to be a sacrifice"

"But, why train you in the power?" Matt Hardy questioned. "I don't see the sense in any of it!"

"You sacrifice one with great power to the entity that gave you it. Instead of using themselves, they searched for another who could harness the darkness as their own. Then, when the time called for it. They would sacrifice them to their leader, that's what I was to them, nothing more. Yet when I survived, they seemed to have allowed me to live, until now…"

"They are seeking revenge," Natalya whispered. "And they are using Kane for it!"

"Worst, since I survived. They taught Kane what they knew, meaning, they need a new person to offer… Kane is it"

The locker room fell silent. "Shit" Bret muttered lowly as he tried to digest everything said to him. "So this is more serious than we thought, so it makes it an even bigger problem. If Kane has no idea, he isn't going to listen to us. He isn't going to let this go if you defeat him. It's a rock and a hard place!" announced Bret.

"Welcome to my twisted world." Muttered the Deadman. "So, the question remains, how do we save Kane?"

Davey Hart Smith was silent as he looked between himself, Tyson and Natalya. "There are a few ways to go about this. One, you still fight Kane, yet let him win. Second, you fight Kane, win and have him come after you and listen to the Druids even more so than ever before. Or third…" He paused.

"You have another option?" Bret asked.

"We make it so neither one of you wins, it will bide us more time. Until we can get Kane to listen and perhaps focus his attention elsewhere…"

"No," Taker snapped back. "We deal with it here, and now. I know what I have to do. It ain't going to be pretty. But I will need everyone's help. We'll be in California for the match, I need all of you on stand by. Understood?" he asked.

Bret rose and nodded. "The Harts are here for you"

"I'm there!" called Matt. "But what are we waiting for?"

"You'll know it, when you see it"


	8. Chapter 8 The confrontation

Chapter 8 – The confrontation.

The WWE Universe had been waiting for the moment the Undertaker would return and seek vengeance against the one who placed him in a coma like state. Kane would feel his wrath that very night as many called for the Undertaker's victory. However, as Bret sat in the back and watched the match closely, he knew there was something afoot. Something drastically wrong as the match went on.

Kane and the Undertaker had been at each other's throats, literally. But what troubled Bret was the fact the Druids watched from the top of the ramp, their faces hidden yet they kept focus on the ring. "What the hell is going on with them?" Matt questioned aloud.

Bret knew, they were waiting to see who won, and their actions would speak from there. But they weren't the once concerning Bret, it was Kane.

Earlier in the match, the lights had shut down. The crowd thought it was a trick by the Big Red Monster, yet many jumped when lightning came from the roof and struck a ring post. The lights came back on and Kane was in pain. He braced his sides as he screamed out in agony. Taker was worried yet knew he had to continue the match for the fans, they couldn't know something was wrong and there was more than a title at stake. But it was only the start of the strange occurrences. Mist began to engulf the ring until there was nothing but fog below. Kane turned to the Deadman and demanded that he stop. "Your mind games aren't going to work on me! Knock it off!"

Taker however shook his head. "I'm not doing it" But an idea occurred. Taker knew what was happening and understood the Druids were getting impatient with the match's outcome. Whoever fell over the rope and into the mist would be in their grasp. "Kane… you must trust me, even if it is just for this one time!" Taker whispered as he pulled his brother to his feet. He threw Kane into the ropes and tried to toss him over. Yet Kane took hold of Taker's neck and brought him over the ropes with him. The two men vanished into the fog as it vanished from the ring. Neither one was seen as the Druids themselves vanished without a trace.

"That's our cue" called Bret.

He left with the Hart Dynasty and Matt Hardy, they rushed to the back and got onto two hummers. Bret pulled out a map as Matt drove one. Natalya took the other. "Where are we going?" Matt asked as he drove out of the arena and followed close behind Natalya.

Bret looked to the map and nodded his head. "Death Valley"

Meanwhile.

Kane woke with a massive headache, he looked about the room and found himself in a cave, tied to a chair with the Undertaker's symbol painted on his face and chest. He demanded to know what was going on, yet no one answered him. Looking about, Kane stared down at his unconscious brother. The Undertaker tried to stir, but found his strength was gone. "Deadman, what's happening, answer me!" Kane screamed.

Taker's eyes slowly opened. "They are going to sacrifice you," he whispered. Kane was shocked, but for some reason, fell oddly silent. "This was their plan, all along"

Still, Kane said nothing as the Undertaker spoke weakly. The Druids had taken what power he had in him after the attack, and infused it into Kane. But now they sough to fulfill their promise to their higher power and offer a servant of darkness with great strength. "They tried to do it to me, when I was younger. But I was too strong for them. You didn't have the years of training as I did, I have taught you what I knew you could handle, but not everything. It was for a reason"

Kane remained silent as he stared towards the door that kept him and his brother inside, but not before a twisted grin came over his face….


	9. Chapter 9 The pursuit

Chapter 9 – The pursuit

Natalya drove intensely across the Death Valley desert. Matt was close behind her, yet they found themselves with a stalker. Someone had decided to follow them and wouldn't give up the chase, even when they went off road. She pulled off to the side in the desert, as did Matt. The large car came to a stop as well. Bret was the first one out of the car as the Hart Dynasty came out armed with tire irons. Yet the person who emerged from the truck surprised, even them. Big Show of all people came out with a smile on his face. "Hey, you guys look ready for a fight!" he called.

Everyone paused as they stopped and stared at the smiling giant. "Paul, what the hell are you doing here?" Matt demanded.

He smiled and shrugged. "I could ask you the same question"

"None of your concern" growled Tyson.

"Then it's none of yours either to know why I am here. And besides, you don't know dick all about the desert here. I do,"

Just as everyone was about to leave, Bret stopped everyone and turned to Show. "Kane sent you, didn't he?"

The smile on the giant man widened. "What makes you say that?"

"Taker didn't tell anyone else, no one but us. Not to mention you seem a little too happy to be in a place called Death Valley" Bret snapped back. "What's your angle?"

Show kept the grin on his face as he explained he couldn't say anything for the moment, at least, not yet. However no one fully believed him. He and Kane were tag partners and it ended on a sour note, so why would he be out to help him now? "Last I remembered, Kane tried to take out your eyes" Matt said aloud.

"Good times, good times" Show sighed. "Now, look. You can either have me help you, or you go into this blindly, at the moment, I think you need the numbers and the help. So?" he said and gave everyone a strange look.

Bret looked to the others who had a look of distrust on their faces. "Unc, I don't know about this" Davey muttered as he clenched the tire iron a little more tightly.

"I don't like it any more than you do. But fact is, we do need help, anyone and everyone." He said bitterly.

Show kept the grin on his face as he announced he would keep following them. "I suggest we hurry, it's nearly midnight"

As Show got into his car, everyone looked to each other, he knew more than what he let on. Bret stopped the Hart Dynasty before they went into the hummer. "Keep a close eye on him" he whispered.

The three nodded as Natalya took the led once more and raced into the desert, towards their destination…


	10. Chapter 10 Midnight in Death Valley

Chapter 10- Midnight in Death Valley

The Undertaker was forced to watch as Kane was casted in thick rope and forced towards a pit that was all too familiar to the Deadman. The druids were smiling under their hoods as they announced how glorious of a night it would be. "Our new master is about to prove his worth to us all, and appease our great creator of darkness! He shall arise again as a more powerful being than his brother before him…"

"KANE!" Taker screamed. "Don't listen to them! They want you dead!"

However Kane only smiled. "You never did give me enough credit Deadman" Kane looked down into the seemingly bottomless pit. He looked back to the Druids. "So, this was your plan all along. You needed a strong sacrifice to your higher power huh? Couldn't get my brother to go through with it, so you try and do the next best thing… use his younger brother. His flesh and blood"

Much to the Undertaker's surprise, Kane spoke out against the Druids very clearly, confident even. "You were never going to help me deal with him, and you thought I was dumb or desperate enough to listen?" he began to laugh aloud like a madman. "You are no better than him. You all underestimated me!"

"Just get into the hole boy and be done with it. You cannot defeat those of the darkness!" The Druids ordered.

Kane only smiled. "If you insist. But know this, I tried to warn you"

"Kane, don't do it!" Taker screamed.

"Oh shut up!" snapped back the big red monster. "You never did have faith in me"

Kane teetered over the edge of the hole, just as he heard the cars pull in. Every eyes turned to look and see who dared interrupted their ceremony. Standing tall was the Hart Dynasty, Bret, Matt Hardy and the Big Show. "Aw, they started without us" Pouted Big Show.

The Druids were not amused.

They clashed and fought to the point not even Taker could see who was winning the fight. However, he felt his hands freed as Bret came from behind to cut him loose. "We got to get Kane away from the damn pit!" Taker growled.

Yet Bret took hold of his shoulder. "You need to let go of this!" he said. "Show followed us out here, he said something about a plan. I think Kane's got one"

"You don't expect me to believe he had something to do with this all along? Bret, they are going to sacrifice him!"

"But look in his eyes!"

Taker paused and looked to Kane, his face maintained the smile as he watched the Druids get the upper hand. The Hart Dynasty was take hold of, not before Natalya dropped one of the Druids with a swift kick to the lower regions. Matt too was caught as Big Show was stopped near Kane. Bret and the Undertaker were taken from behind as the Druids were determined to finish what they started. "Now, the sacrifice! Throw him in!"

"No need" Kane announced as he leaped into the ground willingly. Taker couldn't bring himself to speak as he watched his brother vanished. But then, from the corner of his eye, he saw it. A rope…

The Druids were perplexed to see no reaction to the sacrifice. Confusion came over them as Big Show leaned in enough to look in the hole. He smiled. "Hmm, I don't know about you, but I think he's stuck" Show called out.

"Stuck! He cannot be stuck!" Cautiously, they looked into the hole.

Show smiled as he easily over powered those who thought they could restrain him. He threw the two men into the pit, their screams echoed all the way down. The others found means of breaking free from their captors, one by one the Druids found their way to the hole and were thrown into it, never to be seen again.

When there were no Druids left, Show smile as he looked down at the rope. "Wait… Kane" Bret muttered.

"If it's not a bother to any one of you, you can pull me out!" came the voice of the big red monster. Everyone looked and stared down into the hole.

"Kane!" called Matt.

"Just pull me out Hardy boy!"

However Big Show smiled. "This is the reason why I came" With ease he took hold of the rope and pulled back. In a few minutes, Kane's hand dug into the earth as he pulled himself out with a little assistance from the Hart Dynasty. He laid on the ground for only a moment, until he sat up and looked about to the confused faces.

With a deep breath, Kane smiled as he turned to everyone. "Now, wasn't that interesting?"

At first no one spoke. "First of all, what the hell just happened!" demanded Matt.

Kane began to laugh aloud once more. "I don't like being used as a sacrifice!"

"But, all the times you used the mind games…"

"That's what they were, mind games. Look, I knew about the Druids' plans for a while. They were the ones who took his strength and allowed me to get an upper hand on him. They were the ones who made it so easy for me to take out the Undertaker." Kane paused as he turned to his brother. "I don't like easy"

The more Kane spoke, the more the Undertaker felt his strength return. "So, why did you go along with the Druids? I mean, what was the point of all of this?" Bret asked.

"Simple, I didn't want my brother to have any excuse for when I kick his ass"

At first, no one spoke, until Matt was finally able to yell aloud. "Are you out of your goddamn mind!"

Kane only smiled. "Well see soon enough, but for now…" he paused the moment his eyes looked into that of his brother's they turned white as the mist began to escape from his hands.

Suddenly, there was a flash of blinding light…


	11. Chapter 11 The light END

Chapter 11- The light.

The beacon of light remained, until it slowly faded out. At first, the room became a blur, until the vision crisped and became clear. Looking about, the room was still and silent. Slowly, he sat up and tried to rub the throbbing from his head. Staring down at his hands, he saw nothing was different. Yet a chill crept down his spine.

"What the hell was that about?" he asked himself.

Slowly, he rose from the bed and went to the bathroom to try and wash away the memory, the cold water shocked his body to a state of alertness. His eyes drifted towards the mirror.

Kane stared at his own reflection.

"What did it all mean?"

He looked back towards the mirror, yet jumped when he swore he saw his brother's reflection instead of his own. He blinked to see if it was his mind playing tricks. He was set at ease the moment he saw his own reflection once again. "Oh, so it was… wait a moment… it wasn't" he growled lowly to himself.

Kane stared into the mirror a while longer, he noticed the odd black paint that stained his chest… just like in the dream. "Deadman! Show yourself!" Kane called. "I know you're here!"

Kane walked out of the bathroom, yet paused. He saw his brother sitting at the foot of his bed. He was silent at first until Kane spoke. "You couldn't live with the fact that I did something you couldn't, could you?" he demanded. "What the hell were you thinking? And the others don't remember it either!"

Taker rose from the corner of the bed. "I am not denying the fact that you did something heroic, but they were not ready to learn the truth about me… or you yet. You are aware there are consequences for what you have done. As well, I should have explained to you earlier. There cannot be two lords of Darkness at the same time. You are not meant for that power"

"No shit" Kane growled back. "I know my element, but that still gives you no right to mess with everyone else's memory as to what happened. It's not over between us"

"Never is. Like oil and water we clash, like fire and ice we're opposites, true brothers"

"Don't get mushy on me"

"I have no intent, this conversation never happened Kane, but be warned. There will come a time where we will need each other, just to make it through another day"

Kane looked away for only a moment, when he looked back, the Undertaker was gone.

He gave a small smile to the idea of his brother and himself teaming up once more, but for now. It was all about the title, and it was his and his alone…

The End


End file.
